. A strategic planning workshop was held with the department and all the public entities reporting to it, which included the Ministry and all senior managers. . Departmental quarterly expenditure trends briefings, to ascertain expenditure patterns. . Through correspondence and briefings, the committee received progress reports on the departmental programmes and projects on the ground such as pollution and waste treatment management and infrastructure, Expanded Public Works Programme, public awareness campaigns and climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes/projects. . Annual report briefings, in terms of Section 65 of the Public Finance Management Act of No.1 of 1999, which requires that Ministers table the annual reports and financial statements for the department and public entities to parliament.